Much of War Support Based on Hate

Here is another example of what I fear is the reason why many war supporters wanted to get Iraq. It did not matter what Muslim country they got, just that they got "them."

Again, this is not all, but I think this is part of the reason 40% of people think Iraq was behind 9/11.

'Job Loss State'

Who is bringing up the concept that political rhetoric can hurt Ohio's economy? Who instigated the idea that prompted Carl Weiser's column? Chamber's of Commerce maybe? Groups who support Bush? The nation Chamber of Commerce is in the pocket of the GOP, so I would no be surprised that politics prompted their PR campaign.

Shawn Mummert of CT sees any buzz as insignificant:

'In the short term, I'm sure that the Chamber of Commerce has a point. Fundamentally, it creates some negative buzz,' said Shawn Mummert, a software developer and board president of Cincinnati Tomorrow, an organization that works to attract young professionals.

But in the long term, he said, the focus on Ohio's economic problems will only help. He hopes the problems will get special attention from whichever candidate wins in November.

Besides, he said, Cincinnati suffers more from its image as an intolerant, culturally deprived backwater than from anything the presidential candidates are saying.

Nick Spencer chimes in with a similar point:

And reality is reality, said Nick Spencer, founder of Cincinnati Tomorrow. Ohio and Cincinnati are losing jobs and people, respectively. Rhetoric from the presidential candidates is not the problem.

"They're not diverse, open environments to do business in," he said of Cincinnati and the Buckeye State. "Ohio is still lagging behind the innovation economy."

Edge of a Hurricane

This is what the edge of the hurricane looked like on Sunday at the beach near my parent's house. We never lost power more than a few seconds, but it did cause power outages on the beach for several hours. My parents live a couple miles inland. Farther North it caused far more damage. I can tell you that the sand really stings, unless you stand at the edge of the water.

The more freaky things was seeing the damage from Hurricane Charlie that hit last month. I was a able to see the line of where damage was bad and where it was minimal. It missed their house by less than 10 miles.

Artists For Change

From Jason Bruffy:

CineX Art Presents politically minded artists speaking out.
An organized “happening” of artistic protest

Cincinnati Experimental Arts presents artists taking part in a 24-hour artistic protest against apathy, or an “event of information” called Artists For Change. This organized “happenings” will begin at 11 am till 10pm on Thursday, September 30 and 11 am till 12 midnight on Friday, October 1, 2004. All events will take place free of charge on Fountain Square, Downtown. Artists from around the Queen City, and the Region are performing and displaying work on a variation of themes examining society and the politics of our world and our city.

“The role of artists in society is to transcend and comment upon that society; too often we find ourselves shouting in closets,” says Fringe Producing Director Jason Bruffy. “We hope that this will bring what the artists have to say to the masses.”

As part of the protest, CineX Art, the creative force organizing the event will present a staging of Only We Who Guard The Mystery Shall Be Unhappy, a new work by acclaimed playwright Tony Kushner featuring Laura Bush reading to a group of school children. Kushner’s play will be featured at 12:30 and 6pm on Thursday and 6pm on Friday. Other featured Artists include performances by: Blue Forms Group (Columbus based), SOS, Moving Art Dance Company, and Comic Revolution; musicians including Medic and Tracey Walker; and guest speakers, notably Michael Burnham of UC’s CCM.

For more info check out CincyFringe.com

An Evening with Stephen Leeper

Please come out and learn about plans for Fountain Square and development downtown.

Stephen Leeper: 3CDC CEO & President

September 29, 2004 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The NEXT Hotel
15 W. 6th Street
Downtown Cincinnati

"Whatever your passion, come connect with other Urbanists and share with Stephen Leeper your vision for the heart of our downtown. "

Bronson Circle Jerk

For some unknown reason Peter Bronson is patting himself and his fellow Republicans on the back for getting a lot of people to come see Bush speak in a town that is likely the most Republican in the state. If Bush had real power in this area he would have gotten them to come downtown, but of course the suburban GOP seeks to kill the city, or at least wall it off from their lily white cul-de-sacs.

If they couldn't do this, then Bush would be in trouble. Doing this is no great political feet. Logistically it was a challenge, but getting Fanatical Republicans to come a tent revival for St. Dubya is like shooting fish in a barrel, or selling beer at an AA meeting, or getting agreement with the comment "Down with Muslims" at the Office of Special Plans in the Defense Department.

The rest of the local coverage was of course drivel. Local Dems got a paragraph with a sentence quote from Luken. That was it. Why not at least put all of Luken's response online? This area is not 90% GOP and 10% Nazi, we have liberal voices. The coverage of this event is unfortunately evidence of why local newspapers need real competition. If we are going to have partisan papers that cater to the right wing, then we need one on the left. The newspaper market prevents that and media deregulation makes it easier for one paper towns to exist. We are barely more than a one paper town, and in a few years that is likely all we shall be.

Ken Blackwell's Imitates Katherine Harris

Dave at Radio Free Newport updates the Ken Blackwell vote manipulation story.